Folding paper box.



No. 63U,0U7. L Pa'fented Aug. I, |899.

H. M. RUSSELL.

FOLDING PAPER BOX.

X51. LL-..WLLMM (Application led Apr. 3, 1899) UNTTED STATES PATENTOEEICE.

HARLOV M. RUSSELL, OF SAUGUS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOROBINSON Y. RUSSELL, OF SAME PLACE'.

FOLDING PAPER BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,007, dated August1, 1899.

Application iiled April 3,1899. Serial No. 711.559. (No model.) i

To a/ZZ whom, 71mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, HARLOW M. RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Saugus,in the county of Essex and State of Mas- Vsachusetts,have invented a new and useful Folding Paper Box, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to paper boxes, and more especially to the typeof folding boxes that can be set up without'the aid of glue or otherlike material, while at the same time being capable of being shipped andstored in a flat condition.

To this end the invention primarily contemplates an improved folding orknockdown paper box having a blank of simple configuration andconstructed of a minimum number of parts, while at the same timerequiring a small amount of labor in strippingthat is, in separating thewaste from the blank. l

A further object of the invention is to construct a paper-box blank insuch a way as to require a minimum amount of stock and also permittingthe box to be easily and quickly set up.

Another object of the invention is to provide the box-,blank withimproved means for firmly interlocking or fastening the parts togetherin their set-up condition, and thereby positively preventing a spreadingor separation of the box parts from internal pressure or carelesshandling, and in the accomplishment of this object it is the purpose ofthe present invention to construct the blank with a total absence ofslots or holes for receiving tucks, flaps, or tongues, thereby renderingit unnecessary to remove or strip off any piece of the stock exceptaround the marginal edges of the blank.

With these and otherobjects in View, which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in thenovel construction,` combination, and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

While some of the details of construction are necessarily susceptible tomodification without departing from the principle of the invention,still the preferred embodiment of the latter is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which-- tion of the parts when thefastening-Hap extensions are about to be interlocked. Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing the fastening-Hap extensions interlocked andthe'end-flap extension about to be folded thereover to bring the tuckear into position for insertion through the slit of one of thefastening-flaps. Fig. 4 is a detail-vertical sectional view of one endwall of the completed box, the line of section including the interlockedparts. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the blank which is employed to form thebox.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral l designates theblank of the box, which is of a general rectangular configuration and iscut from a single sheet of paper or other suitable material to form thecomplete box, and in order that the construction of the blank may befully understood itis to be observed that the solid lines on Fig. 5 ofthe drawings indicate the cuts and slits in the blank, while the dottedor broken lines indicate the scores where the folds are to be made.

The single blank or sheet l has scored from the opposite sides thereof,by means of the score-lines Ct, the opposite 'folding side portions Band B, respectively, of the box, and between these side portions theblank is provided with the usual rectangular bottom piece A. Theopposite folding side portions B and B/ are provided at their ends withthe rectangular fastening-flap extensions C and D, respectively, whichare scored from the respective side portions by means of the scorelincsb, it being observed that the fastening- Iiap extensions C are extendedfrom the opposite ends of the side portion B, While the flap extensionsD are extended from the oppositeends of the sideV portion B. The saidfastening-flap extensions O and D ateach end of the side portions BandB, respectively, have cnt therein the arched slits c, formingcorrespondingly-shaped locking-tongues E,

IOO

locki ng-tongues E of the flap extensions C and D at the same end of thebox-blank are reversely arranged with relation to each other,

- so that said tongues will have an interlocking engagement one behindthe other when the parts of the blank are folded to se't up the completebox. It will also be noted that while the locking-tongues E arepreferably located at the same distance from the score-lines b for theirrespective flaps Gand D the lockingtongue E on the flap extension D isusually placed substantially at a central point between the side edgesof said flap extension D, while the locking-tongue E on the flapextension Gis arranged at one side of or above the longitudinal centerof said iap extension C, whereby the two tongues may have a properinterlocking engagement. In other words, said locking-tongues on theflap extensions at the same end of the box-blank are respectivelydisposed in different planes with reference 'to the longitudinal centersof the iiapsv the distance between the locking-tongues E andthescore-lines b, such tongues are designed to come together and interlockin the same vertical plane when the iiaps C and D are vfolded inward, soas to overlap at the end of the box.

Between the Hap extensions C and D at both ends of the box-blank therectangular bottom piece A has scored from the opposite ends thereof, bymeans of thescore-lines d, the folding end portions F, forming the mainend pieces of the box and adapted to be folded against the outer side ofthe Iiaps C and D when folded inward and overlapped. The said foldingend portion F at each end of the box-blank is provided with an end-flapextension G, scored therefrom by the score-lines e and of the samelength as the end .portion F, so as to fold over the top edges of theflap extensions C and D and be held at the inner side' of said iiapextensions, as plainly shown in Fig. l ofthe drawings. The ap extensionG, extended from each folding end portion F of the box-blank, isprovided centrally between its ends with an offstanding. narrow tuck-earH,and contiguous to the base of said ear the said end-Hap extension G,carrying the same, is provided with a segmental score or crease h, whichenables the tuck-ear H to bend independently of the flap extension g, soas to prevent any uneven bending or cracking of the stock when settingup the box and thrusting the tuck-ear into its locked position; The saidnarrow tuck-ear H of each of the flap extensions G is made somewhat lessin width than the 'arched slits c and is arranged in such a positionthat it will slip into the slit c, exposed at the inner side of the endwall of the completed box when set up.

In setting up the box each end portion of the blank is manipulated inthe same manner, so an explanation of one end portion will suffice forthe other. The opposite fastening-flap extensions C and D at the sameend of the box are grasped and folded inward and at the same timebrought into vertical positions at the end of the bottoni piece A afterthe side portions B and B of the blank have been folded upward to anupright position. One of said fastening flap extensions-for instance,the flap extension D-is brought in front or inside of the other flapextension C, with which it overlaps, so that when the locking-tongues Eof said iiap extensions are brought into vertical alinement by pressingthe said'tongues out of their slits the lockingtongue of the ap D may beinserted through the slit and behind the locking-tongue of the iiap C,thereby securely fastening these two flaps together, and at this pointit will be noted that by reason of the fact that the side portions ofthe slits c whenthe tongues are thus interlocked are disposed in asubstantially vertical plane any tendency of the two flap extensions tospread apart or swing out of engagement is effectually resisted. Inother Words, there is an interlocking action at the side edgesof thetongues E of both iiaps C and D which positively prevents disengagementof the flaps except by manual manipulation. When the fastening-hapextensions are interlocked in the manner described, the endflapextension C is carried over the top edges of the said iiap extensions Cand D and the tuck-ear H is thrust into the slit c of the flap extensionD, which is exposed at the inner side of the box.

While the box described is of the open type designed to be closed by aremovable cover of some character, this cover may be formed integralwith the blank itself, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig.` 5 of thedrawings. This would simply necessitate cutting the blank with arectangular top piece I, scored from one of the folding side portionsand provided with one or more marginal tucks J, adapted to be tuckedinside of the box in the usual manner when the same is set up.

The preferred embodiment of the invention IOO IIO

has been fully described; but it will be nn derstood that changes in theforni, proportion, size, and the ininor details of construction withinthe scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departingfrom the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of thisinvention.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired tobe secured by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a paper box, the blank provided at its ends with fastening-flapshaving therein arched slits forming correspondingly-shapedlocking-tongues, the locking-tongues of the separate flaps beingreversely arranged with reference to each other, and adapted tointerlock in a vertical plane, substantially as set forth.

2. In a paper box, a blank provided at its ends with fastening-flapshaving therein U- shaped slits forming correspondingly-shapedlocking-tongues, the locking-tongues of the separate ilaps beingreversely arranged with reference to each other, and also respectivelydisposed in different planes between the side edges of the aps carryingthe saine, substantially as set forth.

In a paper box, the blank provided at its ends with fastening-flapshaving therein U- shaped slits forming correspondinglyshapedlocking-tongues, the locking-tongues of the separate flaps beingreversely arranged with reference to each other and adapted to beinserted one through the slit of the other in a vertical plane, wherebythe vertical side edges of the slits will interlock, substantially asset forth.

4. In a paper box, the blank provided at its ends with fastening-flapshaving therein arched slits forming correspondingly-shapedlocking-tongues adapted to interlock in a Vertical plane, whereby one ofthe slits is exposed at the inner side of the box when set up, saidblank being further provided with an end flap carrying a narrow tuck-earadapted to be inserted in said exposed slit, substantially as set forth.

5. A blank for paper boxes, consisting of a single-piece sheet providedwith a central bottom piece having at the sides thereof folding sideportions provided with fastening-flap eX- tensions at their ends, havingtherein arched slits forming correspondingly-shaped lockingtongues, saidcentral bottom piece being further provided at its ends with folding endportions havingintegral flap extensions provided with narrow tuck-earsprojected therefrom, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

IIARLOV M. RUSSELL.

lVitnesses:

DAVID MEAD, ANNA W. MEAD.

